The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-09-10

the Sadducee answered and said: We
are the founders of new school; we are
the valiant leaders Of the new age, and
we are prepared to suffer, if need be,
good deal of advertisement, and are
even willing to risk all the consequences
of remunerative circulation of our
books. Let me speak to thee, pray
thee, nor let thine anger be too hot"
Then Job answered, I" Say on" And
when Huxley the Moleculite had retired
from Job according to the square of
the distance which formerly separated
them, Tyndall the Sadducee opened his
mouth and said: What is thy COM
plant, and what is thy desire, that we
may answer thee?"
And Job answered: ''My complaint
is that 1 am sore wounded, and that
my life is impoverished and filled with
woe. The delight of mine eyes is taken
away, and no longer is mine ear filled
with music; and they that knew me
turn away from me, and they that I'M
derst0od me are numbered with the
dead. o that might have my request,
and that God would grant me the thing
that l long for Even that it would
please God to destroy me; that he
would let loose his hand and cut me
Off Is there not God in heaven, and
is he not king over all the earth Why
is his hand heavy upon me, and for
what reason hath he shut up my soul
in darkness /? Answer me, if ye have
understanding"
"We will answer thee" said the Sad
ducee, land let thee know the measure
of our wisdom. We have stretched our
minds across cosmic spaces and cosmic
periods, and have seen the sufficiency
OF matter to grow and recombine and
produce startling effects; we have seen
nothing, indeed, of which matter is in
capable; it seems to be its own secret
and its own origin. Still, there is an
inscrutable power somewhere; we know
nothing about it, neither does any man.
There is, we own, a secret which we
cannot make out and our resolution
is never to attempt its explanation.
For my own part, have not even a
theory of magnetism, much less the
ory of the universe. Let us keep within
our own limits, and lay down our work
at the call of Nature. Be quiet. You
are in trouble; you have lost your
children; your high social state is
gone. Be it so; take these things
philosophically, and don't let your cour-
age fail you"
Beside" added John Stuart the
Millite, las our knowledge of nature
extends we shall get command over dis
ease and even death itself. When pub
lie baths are more known, and appre-
ciated, and the higher education of
woman is advanced, imagine we shall
dry up nine-tenths of the trouble of
life."
30 fools and hard of heart 70 said
Job, 'shave you no more answer to my
grief than this I? When a mans life is
desolate, will theory of magnetism
recover his comfort and peace !? When
he has discovered the tomb in the
midst of his garden, will hydropathy
make his heart glad with unspeakable
joy? You tell me that there is secret
in the universe which you cannot ex-
plain but because you cannot explain
it, is it, therefore, impossible of expla-
nation There is stone which I can
not lift does it, therefore, follow that
no other man can lift it? Is there
healing for my body, and none for my
soul? Is there bread for my physical
hunger, and no food for the fiercer hun
ger of my heart ? You mock me you
wish me to give the lie to my own con-
seriousness you tempt me to commit
spiritual suicide Miserable comfort
ers are ye all -
"Still" said Huxley the Moleculite,
with chastened air, 1--WE must be scien-
tific. Let me lay it down, that matter
and spirit are but names for the imag-
mary substrata of groups of natural
phenomena"
"And pray who told you that ?" said
Job. "You chatter great words with
glibness, and make fine speeches, but
you find for me no fountain in the wild
erness, nor can you assuage the SWELL
ing of my woe. Is there not something
deeper in life than you have yet touch
ed A wounded spirit, who can bear?
Will not God hear me when cry, or
will he hide himself from my approach?
Can man live upon the wind, or sat
isfy himself with hard words, or rest
his head upon sharp rocks Have you
+, had pain like mine, or have you lived
in gayety, and sat at the table of plen-
tifulness? When did the lion rend
you, or the wolf lie in wait for your ap-
pearing Ye know not whereof you
affirm, else would your speech be chast-
ened and your words be few"
Then up rose Tyndall the Sadducee,
and hastily said "Should not the null